crowell



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet '1.

- L. 0. GROWELL.

v FOLDING MECHANISM. No. 505,817. Patented Oct. 3, 1893.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. G.- CROWELL. FOLDING MECHANISM.

N0; 505,817. Patented =OcL 3, 1893..

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3'.

.L.. C'. GROW-ELL.

v QOLDIN-GMEGHANISM. No. 505,817 7 Patented Oct. 3, 1893.

w 0 j 0o 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(N0 Mo-dl L G GROWBLL FOLDING MECHANISM! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LUTHER C. CROWELL, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO ROBERT HOE, THEODORE H. MEAD, AND CHARLES W.

CARPENTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING MECHANlSMf SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 505,817, dated October 3, 1893.

Application filed November 28, 1892. Serial No. 453.297, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LUTHER C. CROWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, countyof Kings, and State of New York,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Mechanisms, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to that class of folding mechanisms which operate to impart a longitudinal fold to material passing over or through them on the run, and more particularly to suchas are provided with a pair of converging internal folding guides or formers, in passingover which the material has its sides carried toward each other so as to be doubled or folded longitudinally. Longitudinal folders of this class have been shown and described in many of my prior Letters Patent. In such longitudinal folders adapted to fold sheets, tapes have been used on the sides of the folder for advancing the sheets, several series of tapes being employed, and either internal or external tapes or series of external tapes coacting with internal plates. S uch tape folders are shown in my Patents Nos. 27 6,67 2, 281,619, and 331,280,:1' Such constructions, however, have not been" entirely satisfactory in operation, as it is difficult to secure and maintain by such tapes the proper tension at all points of the sheet to insure proper feed and accurate folding,- the construction re quires careful attention to secure the best results,'and there is danger of offsetting, as r it is found in practice that several series of tapes engaging diiferent parts of the sheet are required. i

The special object of the invention is to 40 provide an improved longitudinal folder by which the sheet may be fed positively and with certainty and the requisite "tension at all points of the sheet be secured and maintained at high rates of speed, and further to provide a construction by which the sheet may be advanced and its folding secured by tapes on the sides of the folder engaging only the margin of the sheet. Iattain these ob-' jects in accordance with' the present invention by combining with internal and external tapes converging from the internal guides at the opposite sides of the folder and arranged to seize the opposite sides of the sheet and bring them together to form the longitudinal fold, pressing devices by which the tapes are held pressed together to secure a positive grip upon the sheet. I prefer to use as the pressing devices series of rolls frictionally driven by engagement with the tapes and preferably made adjustable so as to secure the proper pressure between the tapes at all points, but I may use pressure plates or other suitable devices for securing the required pressure between the tapes. It is much preferable to use both internal and external rolls or plates pressing the tapes to gether from opposite sides, and such a construction in itself forms a part of my invention, but such devices may be used on only one side of the tapes with good results.

My invention therefore consists broadly in the combination with the converging internal guides of a longitudinal folder, of feed ing tapes on the sides of the folder held pressed together by suitable devices so as to secure the required grip for advancing the sheet from the guides with certainty, and in various constructions and combinations of parts, all of which will be fully described in the following specification and pointed out in the claims. p

Fora full understanding of my invention,

a detaileddescription of. a folder embodying the same in 'it-spreferred form, and a modification thereof,will now be given in connec- 'tion with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the folder in the preferred form. Fig. 2 is a plan view with the top plate removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan view similar to Fig. 2, showing a modification, and Fig. 5 is a section of the same similar to Fig. 3.

Referring 'now particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, 5 it will be understood that frame A may-be of any suitable construction common in web printing. and other machines employing longitudinal folders of this class.

.B, C. are :the internal guides over which the I00 be un'derstood' th at my iIPVGn'ti'OlZHIISE-Y be apthe be'lt ipulzley 12 rand belts 'b at exactly the stood that anydther-suitalileconstruction-for r 'folded sheet passesto apair of feeding rolls E, the sheets being held and guidedbetween the rolls D, E by cords or tapes x. The sheet is advanced to the folder by a pair of feeding rolls F mounted at the top of the folder.

The internal guides B, C are supported at their upper ends by a bar G extending across the folder and mounted on the shaft of the lower feed roll F,-and at their lower ends by; a cross bar H carried by a vertically adjustable arm K on a barI extendi'n'g'rea'rward under the folder and mounted in a bracket on the frame A, so as to be adjustable longitudinally, thus 'secn'ring' the proper positioningof the guides 13, Thefolder maybe left open at thet'op, only the internalgui des B, 0 being *used, hnt a'to'p'pl'ate L extending between the internal guides is preferably tapes thnsbeing driven. The *constructio'n thus far des'cri bedisthat i used to aid in supporting theshe'et.

of longitudinal folders now in eomm'on-usein web prin'ting and other niachine's, but it will plied to other similar constructions.

Referring now io 'the parts-in"whichmy invention i's embodied on each side "of the folder are two se'tsof tapes 0, b arranged re- -'specti vely inside and ontside of the ath of the sheet as it passes over th *folderpth'ese tapes being mountedso thattheiren gaging surfaces'rtrn in thepreper plane to advance I the sheet firomt h'e folder, the angle "of this plane 'to the guidesbeing accu'rately 'adj-usted to keep' theshee't taut an'dteseenre the preper 1 tension at-every point These tapes 'a,-'b, are

's referaibly mounted to engage the margin of Y the sh eetclose ts the 'edge, so -"as to n old the oorners 'ofthesheet "down; 'bnt it "will beunders'too'd thai't this position may he varied somewhat. "The external tapes-ware carri'ed L by belt pulleys-10st their upper ends next the internal guides B, G and by 'fo'ld saying rolls D at their lower ends, and theriniternal tapes'b-areearried by belt pulleys 11,12 at their upper and low'er'ends respectiyely, the belt pulleys :10, I l being placed 'direet ly op- I posits each o't h'eran'd t he "helt pulleys 1 2*o'pi posite to the rolls 1D,- so as to secure at posi 1 t'i've gr'ip between the tapes-at the :poi'nus at Which the sheet is talren and deliveredsand brackets 15 on fra'meAbut it will be undermounting-these rolls may-be used.

In the plate l4 oneach side of the folder and within each set of the belts-a, b ismount edastud 16, these studs carrying arms 17 mounted loosely thereon so as to be adjustable circumferentially of the studs, and secured in position by means of set screws. Each'of these arms 17 carries a roller 0, these rollers being placed on opposite sides of the portion of the belts a, b by which the sheet is engaged, so that these rollers form pressing devices by which the belts are vpressed together, so as to secure a positive grip upon the sheets, thus insuring their proper feed andaccurate "folding. By the adjustment of the arms 17 upon the studs 16, it will be seen that these rollers 0 may be accurately positioned so was tosecure just the required tension.

The tapesa, b and fold laying rolls D may 'be driven by any suitable means, but are shown as geared :as if0l lo-ws:-"- Ilhe :rollis are geared together *Hlndd'rive n :as usual, and the rolls D :are driven 'itromone of the rolls E ithrough an intermediate 18 and a :gear 1.9 on tl1e -'s h'afit o'f' oneiof th'e :rolls, andgears20 by "which the i-ro'lls Dare geared together, the

The .roll D carryling-gear 1 9,1carries=also:-a third-gear 2:1,"which meshes with a gear 22 on the :sha'ft of belt pulley 1 2,*these gearsill, 22 beingfso timedby relative size "as toisecu-re the movement of 'same rate 'of speed :as the rolls JD :and belts a and the belt "pulleys are geared [together 'bygears 23soasitoksecure theisarnennovement of the other series of belts b.

Any "suitable feeding devices :ina y be used fo'rsecuring the 'aprop'enad vain'ce of "the :leadi=ng endef the sheet over thie guides B, C, :to the tapes La, '1). :I prefer, however to use the constrnctionshowmurhidhlhavefonnd forms a simzple and elficient means ffior this 'lpurpose coacti'n'g 'well with the tapes 0, 1). 1h this menstruation "a stud :24 is mounted on each sidebf the fielder just below the upper ends (of the internal ggui'des 3B, C, and thesestuds :ea-rry 'beltzpulleys Q5 and arms 26 adjustable on thms'tnds, th'e'arm 21; carrying belt tunnin'g pulleys 1 7, so that byithe zadij nstinento t thesea'rms, the margin al tapes, f numning over the edges of the internal guides 113, 0 :may be adjusted to man fasdesired These marginal itapes a're lled fromithe "trpperifeeding roll F over the uppertendsiof the internal :guides B, '(3, then around the guides :and downward round the belt pulleys' 25,r27,retinrning over adjustable tension tpnlleys 28, .lmeunted in arms 29 on bar 30 supported in 17110 lfirame at the toip'ofm'he folder. Betweenthe marginal itapes f, itwo ornn'ore ta'pesrg, two ibeing shown I understood, however, that thelmarginalitapes 9 may he depended 'upon to advance the sheets,-and vthe tapes'g be om i'tted, .but the latter -'are preferably used.

of plates may be used, or external and inter previously described.

nal plates arranged'to press the tapes together.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown a construction in which plates are ,used for pressing the tapes together. In this construction the tapes are pressed together by plates d placed in the same position as therolls o, in the'construction These plates (1 may be supported in any suitable manner so as to secure the proper'pressure upon the tapes,

but are preferably mounted so that they may be adjusted to and from each other, and in the drawings I have shown a simple construction for this purpose in which the plates 61 are carried by studs 1 mounted in sleeves 2 this construction, the plates may be readily adjusted so as to secure their proper position and the required pressure between them by adjusting the sleeves 2 on the bar 33, only a very slight adjustment being required. The plates are preferably made slightly convex longitudinallyso as to secure the proper tension between the belts at all points, it being found in practice that thisconstruction is preferable. As the belts a do not extend to the fold laying rolls D, and the leading end of the sheet is not gripped after it has passed the lower belt pulley 12, and before it is gripped by the fold laying rolls D, it is pref erable to use a guide e placed between the pulleys 12 and rolls D andoperating toguide the leading end of the sheet to the latter. It will be understood, however that in place of this guide, other devices, such as rolls coacting with the fold laying rolls D, may be used if preferred.

The parts may be driven by any suitable means, but are shown as driven from the rolls E as follows:-'The fold laying rolls D are driven from one of the rolls E through an intermediate 34 and gears 35 on the shafts of the rolls gearing them together, and the belt pulleys 12 are driven from the other roll E through a series of intermediates 36 and gears 37 on the shafts of the belt pulleys, the belt pulleys 12 on opposite sides of thefolder being geared directly together, and the parts are so timed that exactly the same speed is obtained on both sides of the folder. The operation of this construction is substantially the same as that previously described, and

no further description is necessary. 1 1

For securing the best results, it is: necessary that the pressing devices be placed both internal and external of the tapes, as shown,

so as to press the tapes together from opposite sides, this construction securinga more positive grip upon the sheet, but the rolls or plate on oneside of the tapes may be omitted and good results secured, and such a construcment of the devices shown, as these'have been selected only as embodying my invention in its preferred form, and it will be understood that modifications may be made therein Without departing from my invention.

While the construction has been described as applied to folding sheets, it will be understood that it is applicable also to associating two or more sheets or webs led over the opposite sides of the folder, my improved construction being admirably adapted for this use. It will be understood, also, that a slitter, and other devices in use with the present longitudinal folders, are equally to folders embodying my invention.

WhatI claim isi 1. In alongitudinal folder, the combination with converging internal guides,'of endless tapes on the opposite sides of thefolder converging from the internal guides,pressing devices intermediate of the tape pulleys for pressing said tapestogether, and means for advancing the sheet over the internal guides to the tapes, substantially asdesoribedu:

2. In a longitudinal folder, the combination with converging internal guides,"of endless tapes on the opposite sides of the folder converging from the internal guides, adjustable pressing devices intermediate of the tape pulleys for pressing said tapes together, and means for advancing the sheet over the internal guides to the tapes, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a longitudinal folder, the combination with converging internal guides and a fold laying device, of endless tapes on the opposite sides of the folder converging from the internal guides to the fold laying device, pressing devices intermediate of thetape pulleys for pressing said tapes together, and

applicable means for advancing the sheet over the interwith converging internal guides and a fold laying device, of endless tapes on the opposite sides of the folder converging from the internal guides to the fold laying device, internal and'external pressing devices intermediate of :the .tape pulleys for pressingsaid. tapes together, and means for advancing the sheet over the internal guides to the tapes, "substanti ally as described.

6. Ina-longitudinalfolder, the combination with converging internalguides, of endless tapes on the opposite sides of the folder converging fromthe .internal guides, pressure rollersarranged intermediate of the tape pulleys :for pressing :said tapes together, and

means foradvancingth'e sheet-over thezinternal guides to the. tapes, substantiallyias dey of external tapes awcannied by :said 'fold lay- 6o '7. Ina longitudi'nalsfoldentlre combination 1 with converging internal guides, of endless? scribed.

tapeson the opposite-sides of the foldericonvergingEfremth'ezinterneilguides, internaland external pressure rollers arranged intermediate of .theitapeipulleys for pressingsaid tapes togetheniand means for advancing the sheet over the internal guides :to the tapes,su bstantial'ly as described.

"8. In .a longitudinal folder the combination with convergingiinternal guides, :of :endless 1 tapes on the opposite sides of the folder convergingfrom theinternal guides,internal and external pressure rollers'arranged -i.nter1ne-' diateof the tape pulleys and opposite each other for pressing said tapes together, and; means for advancingthe sheet over the 'intern'al :guides to the tapes, Fsubstantiallyas' described.

9. The combinationwiithconverging internal gu'ides B;C-and fold laying rolls :D, of internal zand external tapes a, b converging from 513110 guides B, C toft'he :rolls :D, internal 1 and external pressure rollers a pressing isaid tapes together between the belt pulleys, and means for advancing the sheet over the internal guides to the tapes,-substantiallyas 5 described.

10. Thecom bination with (the converging internal guides B, (land fold laying rolls D, of external :tapes a carried by said .fold laying rolls D and con'verging'thereto from the 50 internal guides, internal tapes b c0-acting withzsaidatapes a .and converging from the internal guides to pulleys 12 adjacent to rolls D, pressing devices cpressing said tapes together between their pulleys, and means for 5 5 advancing the sheet :over theinte-rn alrguides to the tapes, substantially as described.

11. The combination with the converging internal guides B, Grand fold laying (rolls D,

ing -rolls D and converging thereto from the internal guides, internal itapes b co-acting with :said tapes aiand converging "from ithei-nternal guides ato :pu-lleys 12 adjacent to rolls Dyinterna-l and external pressure rollers c 65 pressingsaid tapes together between their pulleys, and means for sadwvanc'in'githe :sheet over the internal :guides etolthetapes, *su'brstant ially as-d'escribed.

.justable on said ;studs,:substanti ally as described.

SID. testimony whereof -I have hereuntoset my hand in :the presence ofa'tworsubscribing witnesses.

LUTHER 1O. *GROW' ELL. itnesses:

THOS. -F. KEHoE, 10. J. :SAWYER. 

